Is national defense a priority? Objective 1. To trace the development of the U.S. coastal defense system and its connection to the country's foreign policy; 2. To understand the arguments favoring and opposing a large program building up coastal defenses; 3. To learn how the evolution of military technology affected this system of defense; 4. To recognize how military expenditures have affected their own community. Background Time Period: Late 19th and early 20th centuries Topics: This lesson could be used in U.S. history, social studies, and geography courses in units on American foreign poli Duration: 90 Minutes.